An indoor play area for preschoolers allows children to engage in active play regardless of weather. Whether at a mall, children's museum or child care facility, the features and considerations remain the same. With a variety of indoor play equipment and soft play areas, the children have a play area that addresses their developmental needs and size.
Goals of the Children's Indoor Play Area
The indoor play area should encourage children to explore the environment and their own abilities while maintaining a fun atmosphere. This means encompassing several different play areas or stations for exploration.
Safety is also a major consideration when creating a preschool play area. Young kids often trip or tumble so the play space should accommodate this with safety precautions. Local building codes for children's indoor play areas are also important to ensure the area meets all standards during the construction phase.
Physical Space in the Indoor Play Area
The location for the preschool play area is one of the most important decisions. An open space with plenty of room for active preschoolers is essential. The room also needs some degree of security depending on the particular situation. At a public location such as a mall or children's museum, parents monitor their own children. In a child care setting, a room that is easy to monitor and keep secure is more important. The children's indoor playground should also have at least two exits for emergencies.
Once the location is established, the foundation of the room begins to take shape. Accurate measurements of the area help with the indoor play equipment selection. It also helps when choosing and purchasing the floor covering. A soft flooring option helps prevent injuries when children fall off of the soft play equipment. Preschool children often fall, so soft surfaces such as mats underneath protect the kids.
A rubber floor covering is a common option for a children's indoor play area. It helps absorb the shock when a child falls from short play equipment. Gymnastic mats are another option for the area. These floor mats also help absorb the shock. Foam mats are also used for kids' play areas. Local building codes governing children's play areas might have specific requirements for the floor covering so it's always a good idea to check first.
Indoor Play Equipment for the Area
A floor plan of the room helps determine the layout of the children's indoor play area. It should provide a mixture of play equipment that is appropriate for preschool-aged children. The budget will influence the selection of the equipment.
Soft play equipment is a popular option if the budget allows. These special pieces of equipment are designed to prevent injuries as the young children play on them. A company called Soft Play offers a variety of soft play equipment for young children.
If soft play equipment is outside of the budget, there are still many other options available. Even a day care on a limited budget can set up a stimulating and engaging indoor play area for the children. Ideas for budget-friendly equipment include:
- balance beams
- climbing structures
- balls
- ride-on toys
- dramatic play area with puppets or dress up clothes
- play tents or tunnels
- sensory table with sand or water
- large soft blocks
Arranging the Indoor Play Equipment
Choosing the location for each piece of play equipment takes some time and consideration. Creating play zones that separate the different types of play equipment increases the safety of the children's indoor playground. Consider the amount of space each toy needs, including a buffer area to allow easy movement. The types of activities that go well together are also a factor. Placing a ball play area next to a block building area is asking for frustration on the part of the kids and the adults.
Once the arrangement is selected and the soft play equipment and other play areas are set up, a final walk through is needed. This test run checks for a good flow in the indoor play area to make sure the kids won't constantly run into one another. Kids and adults should easily move around all of the play equipment. A clear line of vision for the adults from all vantage points in the room is another key factor to check during the test run.
Completed Indoor Play Area
The completed kids' indoor play area furnished with soft play equipment keeps kids entertained for hours. A safely constructed play area gives parents peace of mind and kids an engaging, stimulating place to play in.
Shelley Frost - Shelley Frost pursued a freelance writing career after giving up a traditional job to stay home with her two young children. Shelley ...
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